Ethylcellulose

Synonyms:  Aquacoat ECD; Aqualon; Ashacel; E462; Ethocel; ethylcellulosum; Surelease.

Description:Ethylcellulose is a tasteless, free-flowing, white to light tan-colored powder.

Chemical Name: Cellulose ethyl ether

Coating agent; flavoring agent; tablet binder; tablet filler; viscosityincreasing agent.

• Ethylcellulose is widely used in oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations.

• The main use of ethylcellulose in oral formulations is as a hydrophobic coating agent for tablets and granules.

• Ethylcellulose coatings are used to modify the release of a drug, to mask an unpleasant taste, or to improve the stability of a formulation; for example, where granules are coated with ethylcellulose to inhibit oxidation.

• Modified-release tablet formulations may also be produced using ethylcellulose as a matrix former.

• Ethylcellulose, dissolved in an organic solvent or solvent mixture, can be used on its own to produce water-insoluble films.

• Higher-viscosity ethylcellulose grades tend to produce stronger and more durable films.

• Ethylcellulose films may be modified to alter their solubility, by the addition of hypromellose or a plasticizer.

• An aqueous polymer dispersion (or latex) of ethylcellulose such as Aquacoat ECD (FMC Biopolymer) or Surelease (Colorcon) may also be used to produce ethylcellulose films without the need for organic solvents.

• Drug release through ethylcellulose-coated dosage forms can be controlled by diffusion through the film coating.

• This can be a slow process unless a large surface area (e.g. pellets or granules compared with tablets) is utilized.

• In those instances, aqueous ethylcellulose dispersions are generally used to coat granules or pellets.

• Ethylcellulose-coated beads and granules have also demonstrated the ability to absorb pressure and hence protect the coating from fracture during compression.

• High-viscosity grades of ethylcellulose are used in drug microencapsulation.

• Release of a drug from an ethylcellulose microcapsule is a function of the microcapsule wall thickness and surface area

Incompatible with paraffin wax and microcrystalline wax.

Ethylcellulose is widely used in oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations. It is also used in food products. Ethylcellulose is not metabolized following oral consumption and is therefore a noncalorific substance. Because ethylcellulose is not metabolized it is not recommended for parenteral products; parenteral use may be harmful to the kidneys. Ethylcellulose is generally regarded as a nontoxic, nonallergenic, and nonirritating material.

It is important to prevent fine dust clouds of ethylcellulose from reaching potentially explosive levels in the air. Ethylcellulose is combustible. Ethylcellulose powder may be an irritant to the eyes and eye protection should be worn.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose; hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose; methylcellulose.